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September Gurl

I hope this post finds you well and transitioning easily from summer to fall.

I absolutely love this time of year. I love the chill in the air and the crackle of early falling leaves, all held by the lingering summer sun and miraculous blue skies.

I forget that this can also be a difficult time for me. My teaching career was profoundly stressful, but I often miss my students in autumn, I miss my colleagues, and sometimes, not always, I even miss the bustle of busy school days.

What's more, the tragedies of 2001's September don't seem that long ago. I still have anxiety dreams whenever September rolls around. Occasionally, I feel a sense of dread. Only some of this do I attribute to the normal start of school.

The end of summer this year was particularly hectic. We had visitors nearly all summer (which was wonderful) but I barely had time to think, let alone to write. Then suddenly the guests were gone, my ducklings were off to school, and every bit of life and work that had been put on hold came rushing back. I've been trying to catch up, but also to slow down. Breathe. Be in the world again. Fill my well. I've been writing a fair bit of poetry.

Today, walking my little beach, I found an object I'd been searching for all summer: a hagstone! These stones, with a naturally occuring hole through them, are relatively rare (at least in my corner of the world). Folklore ascribes them remarkable healing properties and powers. Some even say that if you look through a hagstone, you might see into another world or life.

Mine seems to have tiny crystals inside, as if it might be part geode. I'll have to ask some of you who know about such things for further explanation. =)

I'm counting this hagstone among Autumn's first gifts. Another reminder to slow down, observe, and sink into this beautiful time of year. Meanwhile, I hope you all find some peace and joy this September.

Some graffiti on a dilapidated building down the block sums up the feelings I wish I could share more often.

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